Spotted this past week cruising a parking lot (I kid you not), the next-gen Jeep Wrangler looks almost ready for prime-time - well, if you can look past the wrapping.

Apparently Jeep will unveil this rig at the New York Auto Show in the coming weeks. The newest update includes not only the four door variant, but also a new engine. Looks like the solid-front axle is still with us, though.

The new motor is the typical trade-off - smaller displacement, more power, more torque, but at higher revs.

Given how well past models actually performed off-road when in low-range, moving the torque peak from 3,200 RPMs (with the old 4 litre straight six) to 4000 RPMs with the new, smaller displacement mill, shouldn’t really be noticable.

On paper there IS a difference, but when was the last time you saw paper driving over logs & rocks?

Given the design improvements, comfort improvements and relatively low number of Jeep owners who actually take their trucks off-road, I think Jeep will have a winner on their hands here. Those who do offroad their rigs will be pleased, those who don’t will more comfortably rest easy with the knowledge that they COULD.

Let’s just hope the remembered to include decent cup holders with those two extra doors…